


Spread my wings

by HARTandSOLwrites (doomedpassion2yaoi)



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, M/M, More Pairings to Come - Freeform, Uchihabros, will be noted in the chapter notes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-10 21:01:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4407482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doomedpassion2yaoi/pseuds/HARTandSOLwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Obito overhears something he is not supposed to and reacts accordingly.</p><p>This is an AU which means nobody we love dies aka Obito and Itachi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will be subjected to change/additions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being the perfectionist that I am, I have edited this chapter once more on August 11, 2015 just as I was working on ch. 4.
> 
> Second edit: August 24, 2015

Just as Sasuke is about to pierce Itachi’s chest with Kusanagi a hand drops on his shoulder. It is the recognizable weight of his sometimes ally the masked man, Tobi.

The boy’s muscles contract. His fingers tighten on the hilt of his sword. He is primed to change the trajectory of his blade, even if he is outclassed by this man. His wrist jerks and the man presses his thumb against the young Uchiha’s pulse.

It beats a warning tattoo. “Stop Sasuke.”

Half-blind and angry, Sasuke strikes out with the butt of the sword. The blow connects with a thump against flesh.

The older man barely flinches. He reaches out with a hand and wraps it around the boy’s. His short blunt nails dig into the boy’s skin.

The urgency in his voice increases. “There is something you must know before you proceed.”

He reaches up to the silk ties at the back of his head with his free hand. He pulls at the bow. The strands unravel like lazy snakes. Clutching at the fabric, he lowers his mask.

Half the man’s face is covered in scars that suggest the skull has been pitted or crushed. The scars travel down his neck and presumably down the entire right half of his body.

Sasuke stumbles back. That scarred visage is like nothing he has seen before and that’s saying a lot when he has visited Orochimaru and Karin at work.

The man is an Uchiha marked by his single Sharingan. Impossible! He and Itachi are the last. So caught up in his shock, he is unprepared by his traitorous brother’s reaction.

Recognition spans in Itachi’s eyes. “Obito.”

The man tips his head and runs a scarred hand – it is usually hidden in his sleeve, customized to be longer than the other* – through his hair. The joints of each finger are gnarled. It is no wonder he keeps his body covered.

Sasuke stares. Obito? Where has he heard the name before? It is familiar in a vague manner that suggests secrecy and conspiracy, though it has never inspired fear or any other strong emotion in the young Uchiha. When his parents were still alive – the name was spoken in a hushes and sometimes in epithets. The traitor. The one who gave his Sharingan to an outsider –

and on Kakashi’s lips when he was still his respected teacher – with reverence and the tone of lover’s lament to his beloved lost.

His fingers tighten around the hilt of his sword. Even if this man is who he says he is, not that Sasuke believes him, he will cut him down. He has long since vowed that he wouldn’t let anyone stand in the way of his revenge. He raises his sword arm.

“Please don’t.” The man’s dull finger nails dig into the boy’s neck.

The dark haired boy winces, but makes no other move.

“I – we’ve been duped Sasuke.” The man’s fingers drop and he lowers his head as if he cannot bear to look the boy in the eyes.

Though Sasuke can read shame in the man’s posture, he cannot fathom the sudden change of heart, especially when the man was so sure of himself. And so sure of Sasuke’s role in his plans for attacking Konoha and retrieving the Kyuubi.

He takes a step back. “W-what?”

Sasuke curses himself for his moment of weakness, when the older man steps forward. He schools his face into its usual bland indifference.

“I will explain.” Obito moves to Sasuke putting his hand over his young cousin’s sword arm. “But first, put away the sword.”

“Then what?” Sasuke stares suspiciously at his newly revealed cousin.

“We leave.” The older man shunshin steps over to Itachi and lifts him piggy back. The man is injured from his skirmish with Sasuke (and ill from much earlier).

He frowns. His cousin is light. His illness is much worse than it was a couple days ago. If only…it’s a decade too late. The best he can do now is to waste as little time as possible in returning to Konoha.

He does not have enough chakra to make the trip in one go, especially not with Sasuke. He will have to make a pit stop in the other dimension.

He glances over at the youngest. “Don’t tell me you want to stay where your enemies are little Sasuke.”

“No. But I’d rather have an explanation first.” The youngest glares at the oldest. “And I am not a child!”

“There is no time.” Obito closes his eyes and sighs. “Then I will explain as we leave. Kamui.”

“Wait.” Sasuke attempts twists out of the grasp of older man’s jutsu. “The others – Karin, Juugo and Suigetsu…”

“What about them?” The older man’s single eye blinks.

“I won’t leave them here.” Sasuke stares up at his cousin.

His eyes slide away from the gaping abyss that used to be Obito’s Sharingan. He winces when he remembers where it is. He is suddenly gripped with the need to know. What could make an Uchiha part with their pride and worth?

“I’m glad.” The older man smiles sadly. “You still have some heart. Keep it close and protect it. Don’t…Don’t become like me.”

Sasuke snorts. “I was well on my way, _cousin_. You _should_ know.”

Obito nods because there is no point in denial. He has spent far too long wallowing in it to force it upon someone else, especially someone so young and still impressionable no matter how the boy may protest.

He activates Kamui again. “I will come back for your comrades.”

“Then you will explain.” Sasuke glares.

In a split second he is sucked into the Kamui dimension via his cousin’s eye. His own eyes widen in surprise. It must take a lot more chakra to manage it this fast. He spares just a moment of admiration. When he remembers that his cousin has yet to bring his comrades over to this world. He clenches his jaw and his fingers together. He narrows his eyes.

“In great detail,” Obito fades out of the dimension, “from the beginning.”

When he comes back quite a bit of time later (though one can never be quite sure in this dimension – unless you were its master), he has Sasuke’s comrades tied together and unconscious. He shrugs. “They were…reluctant to trust me.”

Sasuke rolls his eyes.

Itachi smirks.

Obito sits down and crosses his legs. “I suppose it begins with the conversation I overheard today between White Zetsu and Madara, or it begins at the battle of Kannabi Bridge. Either way, the conversation encompasses the entire mechanics of that battle and afterwards…”

He shifts so that he is on his knees and bows his head down to the ground. “Forgive me. I was the messenger who communicated between your father and Madara for the duration of their scheme.”

By the end, Sasuke stares bug-eyed at his cousin. His comrades are not much better. Itachi, though, has his eyes closed. Though he seems to be almost serenely asleep, he is listening.

Itachi opens his eyes. “I figured as much.”

His lips twist downward. “You are…were Madara’s perfect creation.”

Sasuke lunges with the sound of a thousand angry birds. “You!”

“Sasuke.” Itachi is by his younger brother’s side with a hand on his shoulder. “This man, our cousin, repents for his actions.”

“Itachi-ni!” The dark haired boy throws his brother’s hand off – by now he has decided the big brother he has always idolized is innocent (and much too kind to make the _right_ decision) – and dives toward his guilty cousin with the chidori blazing along his sword.

Itachi catches his little brother with a kick in his rump, sending the boy sprawling onto the ground with a groan and a glare.

Obito shakes his head. “I have regrets, true. I stand by everything I have done. At that time it was the best option. But now that I have the entire context by which to evaluate my actions. Repenting and regretting are different Itachi.”

Itachi nods sharply and sighs. “I see.”

Sasuke stares up at his brother and his cousin, still reeling from the shock of having his ass kicked – literally – and learning the truth about his clan’s death.

“I am not the same man who followed Madara blindly.” Obito rises. “I will live what is left of my life as such.”

“But then you _are_ repenting cousin.” Itachi smirks wry and sad.

“Perhaps.” Obito narrows his eyes at his cousin. “Or it may just be becoming a different person and living with integrity to that person. I cannot be the person that I was before.”

Itachi nods.

Sasuke frowns. He should get up and destroy Obito, but… He peeks up at his brother and their eyes meet. Obito’s explanation seems like an evil dream. But he understands better now. Whether Danzou ordered the harvesting of the Sharingan or not the daimyo would still have ordered their clan’s execution. (After all, Madara has had the Uchiha Clan manipulated from the shadows using Obito as the messenger.) It is the way of politics in Shinobi culture. The corners of his lips sink.

The question now is what to do with the information.

No. There is no question. Sasuke glances at his older brother. Itachi ill and the only person who has a chance of saving him is Lady Tsunade, who is currently the Hokage. The younger brother frowns. The elder is loyal to a fault and will want to take the intel back to Konoha. And he turns to his cousin. Obito is the picture of remorse. He will return and surrender.

There is only him now, who hates Konoha. Will he follow them back to the place he once called home? Or will he continue toward his vengeance?

He can return to Konoha and bide his time. He can watch and wait for an opportunity to assassinate Danzou. He turns to look at Itachi, then at Obito. He cannot do that to them, not when his brother may have his name cleared and when his cousin is trying hard to repent.

Still, the old coot is dangerous. He just has to be vigilant. He’ll protect his big brother. That traitor Obito can watch his own back!

And what about his Taka teammates? He sees them staring at him, waiting for instruction, out of the corner of their eyes. Because they are stronger together. And they have no one else.

(They remind Sasuke of another group of teenagers who were stronger together.)

He closes his eyes.

If granted asylum for the information they bring, they will be safe enough to survive. It will not be a good life for traitors and former enemy nin. They will be contracted to fight against Madara and whoever else he manages coax to his cause. And after, their path will be filled with S-rank missions (after all, they are traitors and missing-nin, therefore expendable).

If he chooses revenge, he will have to fight and possibly kill the brother who loves him enough to have sacrificed for him.

Sasuke’s hands shake. The thought of killing his big brother now sounds nothing less than slaughter. Itachi-ni has suffered enough. There is no need for him to become a martyr too.

The old man is right. He still has a heart. And most of it is Itachi and what Sasuke remembers of Naruto’s sunshine smile. Protect what’s left of it. That is his only mission now.

“We’re going back to Konoha.” His lips twist into an awkward hybrid between a wry smirk and a genuine smile. “There won’t be any hidden agendas.”

It has been a while, since he last did – smiled that is. He remembers it being with Naruto. The boy’s blonde hair blowing in the wind and his ocean blue eyes fills Sasuke’s vision. His pink lips curve into that excited grin. With it his parting words from their last encounter: Sasuke just wait! I’ll bring you home! Dattebayo!*

Karin gasps. Suigest chokes. Whether that’s due to Sasuke’s smile or not, only they know. Sasuke blinks and the illusion is dispelled. As for Juugo, his expression remains impassive, but his eyes are curious.

Obito nods. His expression is one of approval and contentment.

Itachi opens his eyes and smiles. “Thank you.”

Sasuke huffs. “Whatever.”

Itachi leans over and pokes two fingers at his little brother’s forehead. “I’m proud of you.”

Sasuke’s eyes shift to the side. He almost can’t help the way his foot shifts. It is a nervous tick that hasn’t made an appearance in at least a decade.

Obito huffs a laugh.

Sasuke glares. “What?”

“Sorry.” The scarred man seems to shrink in on himself. “Sorry. I just remember doing Mikoto doing that before Kannabi Bridge.”

“Mother…?” Both Sasuke and Itachi turn to their cousin.

“She was my favourite cousin.” Obito lowers his eyes. “I’m sorry. I no longer have the right to speak about her so familiarly.”

Sasuke glares.

“It’s okay.” Itachi elbows his younger brother.

Sasuke huffs and crosses his arms. He slinks over to his comrades, but not before he gives Obito another glance from his rendition of the evil eye.

He shoves Suigetsu into Karin when he throws a companionable arm around his shoulders. Juugo just lies on the ground and stares at the darkness of the ceiling.

There’s a snicker and Sasuke throws a kunai without even looking in its direction. Not that it’ll do much since his cousin is the expert on Kamui and this dimension. He almost feels bad for whoever is in the path of – shit!

The kunai is coming right at him. He rolls out of the way as the kunai lodges right where his testicles would have been.

“Sage*!” Sasuke stares at the kunai with wide eyes.

“Well, Sasuke, you did throw the kunai at our cousin.”

Itachi is ever the voice of reason, except his lips are curved up at the corners just a smidge. The youngest Uchiha cannot wait to get out of here. He glowers at them all, especially his Taka teammates for laughing – Karin and Suigetsu – and Juugo for smirking.

Obito slides a scarred hand over his face. “I cannot transport us all until I have recovered my chakra.”

“Can’t you just…” Suigetsu, ever the idiot, jumps right into the eldest Uchiha’s face.

“No. In case there is trouble,” Obito leans back against one of the blocks, “You will need your chakra to fight.”

“Great!” Sasuke groans. “How many more hours do we need to stay here?”

For the first time since getting here, Juugo opens his mouth and it is to reprimand the idiots he’s been surrounded with. “Everyone just _shut up_ and get some sleep.”

And then there is golden silence.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I’m pretty sure this is a head-canon thing. I could be wrong. If so, I apologize to Kishimoto-sensei.
> 
> *Makes more sense to use “Sage!” which refers to the Sage of the Six Paths instead of Christ. There is no sign of Christianity as a religion in Naruto.
> 
> *I’m paraphrasing here. I don’t remember exactly what Naruto said to Sasuke, but it should be something along these lines.
> 
>  
> 
> \----
> 
> Next time we see our idiots outside Konoha. Because Obito may be an idiot, but at least he wants to be a sincere idiot. So they're going to surrender up front and centre.
> 
> ~doomedpassion


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> July 26, 2015: I have edited the first chapter, feel free to re-read to either refresh your memory to check out some more detailed reactions from our favourite characters. ~ doomedpassion

Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo are guarding the gate like any other day. At the horizon there is a blot of red. It strikes every nerve in their bodies on fire. They are beginning to ready a message to relay to the Hokage when their eyes widen as the newcomers finally register properly in each their field of vision. They are much closer than they were a minute ago. That can’t have been possible. Even with the shunshin, shinobi are not made to be that fast unless you were the Second or the Fourth Hokage with the benefit of the Flying Thunder God (or its variation the Flying Thunder Formation – but only the Fourth’s students ever learned the technique).

Both men shiver.

The group is headed by a masked man in a red cloak. Though the cloak is not standard Akatsuki fare, the orange mask with the swirl pattern gives the man away as Tobi of Akatsuki. Behind him are Uchiha Itachi with his younger brother and the children who followed Sasuke from Orochimaru’s original group to the Akatsuki. They are all wearing red cloaks. Looking closer, both guards are able to see the lighter red of the thread at the seams.

Strange, that little detail is which puts them both on guard much more.

The messenger hawk swoops down just so as Izumo attaches the rolled up paper expertly without taking his eyes off their visitors. Kotetsu is already poised with his mace at hand. The scroll from whence it came is open on the desk. And his usual weapons against small fry – kunai blades – are strapped to his back.

Tobi raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. “We are here peacefully.”

Izumo smiles cheerfully flicking his empty hands the way a magician might at a show. In his hands dangle his kusari chains. The ends are bare, but he’s fast and can substitute anything from blades to locks or weights within a second or two.

The guards examine their new “friends” narrow their eyes.

“We have to abide by standard protocols, you know?” Izumo’s smile widens sharp and pointed. “We treat threats to our village and our Lady Hokage seriously.”

“You should know.” He nods politely at Itachi, raises an eyebrow at Sasuke and glares at the masked man (they have no context to by which to know Obito – and when they find out, will most likely be disappointed by their fallen hero’s actions).

The swift change in his demeanour has the white haired boy, Suigetsu, miming rudely between strawberry blond boy, Juugo, and the Konoha guardsman. The red-headed girl, Karin, thumps him on the back of the head, while the strawberry haired boy just sighs.

Kotetsu lip quirks up. Those children…they are rather blasé about their situation. Perhaps that is the boldness of youth.

“Well then,” Izumo lips curve back into their cheery corners, “who’s first?”

The masked man holds up his wrists. Itachi does too. Izumo notices that his wrists are too thin to be considered healthy. Sasuke shoves his right into Izumo’s face, nearly punching the guy in the eye. The red haired girl does the same with the other one. White haired boy half-heartedly waves his in water form. The strawberry blond-haired boy holds out his wrists with trembling hands and bites his bottom lip.

The boy bows his head. “Sometimes…I lose control of my chakra…bad things happen. I don’t know if this might trigger it or not.”

“I’m sure we can handle it.” Izumo smiles soft and kind.

The strawberry blonde looks up a bit shy and hopeful. “Okay. My name is Juugo.”

“I wish me met under better circumstances, Juugo-kun.” The Konoha jounin guard’s fingers are deft as he hooks the last chain over the boy’s wrists. “There. All done.”

The dark haired man nods. “If not, there are other shinobi here…”

The dark haired guard with spiky hair lays a hand on his partner’s shoulder. “I called backup already.”

Flickering chakra signals peak in Karin’s awareness. They’re strong, but working at seeming weaker than they are. It must be ANBU. She turns and meet Sasuke’s eyes.

He shrugs. He’s not afraid. He is also not about to go back on his promise to his Itachi-ni and Obito.

Besides by surrendering, he’ll have allies in his once friends. They won’t allow Danzo and his allies to bully them, unless he wants to spark civil war with the jinchuuriki (who sometimes has the backing of the Kazekage. And at a time like this other villages won’t give a damn unless they are controlled by the Madara or Orochimaru).

He walks head held high, daring Danzo (and ROOT) to make a move.

“Sasuke!” A loud blond body flies out from apparently nowhere into the youngest Uchiha’s side.

The dark haired boy stumbles to the side and jerks backward in an attempt to regain his balance. His feet are planted firmly on the ground just as a rush of wind brushes by. He blinks.

“Not now Naruto!” A strong woman’s hand wrapped in gloves yanks the blond blur away.

Sasuke turns and meets the green eyes of his former teammate. She stands taller and straighter than she used to. It’s a good look on her.

“Sorry, Kamizuki-kun, Hagane-kun.” Sakura bows, dragging her blond friend behind her.

They march on. There are a lot of jounin and chuunin blocking of civilian masses who have gathered on the main road to watch. They press in from both sides of the road, even with chuunin blocking them from coming closer.

Sasuke huffs. What’s there to see? They are S-rank criminals (except for Itachi, but most people don’t know that). Those people should be more worried about their lives than catching a glimpse of people strong enough to kill more than one of them at a time.

He follows his brother and cousin. His team follows behind him leaving a space of about two people’s strides. They’re whispering to each other, or rather Karin and Suigetsu are.

“What’s the point of all this?” The white-haired boy makes a rude gesture towards the three Uchiha at the head of their group.

“Sasuke has changed his mind.” The redhead smacks her companion on the side of his head. “He is affected by that story.”

“Pft. It’s just a damned _story_.” The boy crosses his arms. “It might not even be true.”

“I think the story is true,” Karin frowns, “but Sasuke didn’t have to follow them back here. I just don’t understand why he did.”

Juugo lags behind a bit, looking at the buildings – they are different from the ones at Oto which were more like temporary shacks then these colourful and cozy looking establishments – as they pass them turns to them.

“Sasuke loves his brother.” He turns to his teammates.

His lips curve up wistfully. “He trusts him.”

“But he killed…” The redheaded girl slows to stand next to the strawberry blond boy.

“That was not his choice.” Sasuke turns and glares at her and nods at the boy.

ANBU keep pace with them. Some tokubetsu jounin who exist outside the organization trail behind them. It is just a precaution, but the youngest Uchiha is claustrophobic. He dislikes the possibility that that Danzou and his men are watching them. He focuses instead on familiar faces.

He – and Obito – recognizes Kakashi among them and some of their generation’s genin team leaders. They have every reason to be paranoid. There are two registered S-rank missing-nin (even if one of them is a loyal Konoha shinobi sent on a solo suicide mission – who’s affection for and loyalty to his little brother had him near rebelling from his second last mission)

There is Shikamaru’s father among them with his former teammates. The Yamanaka head is here, but not at T&I. It must mean they are being taken seriously. Sasuke frowns.For once, Hagane and Kamizuki follow along and leave their post at the guard post/check in point at the gate.

The moment they are shown into Lady Tsunade’s office, the guards retreat to the doors. There are ANBU converged in the halls at every level and guarding the front doors downstairs.

They stand before the Hokage’s desk. The masked man has his single eye lowered to the floor. Itachi stands at military parade rest. Sasuke glares into Tsunade’s eyes. Karin and Suigetsu stare curiously around the room. Juugo’s cheeks are pink with embarrassment. What has he ever done to deserve those two?

The eldest Uchiha lowers his mask and tells his story.

“Let’s say I believe you…” Tsunade stares them all down from her seated position. “You want me to pardon Sasuke and accept his…”

Her lips twist. “…comrades as Konoha shinobi.”

“Please Hokage-sama.” Itachi bows at a ninety degree angle.

He will have bowed lower if his conditions had allowed it. Even now his lungs tighten and he has grit his teeth not to express his discomfort. He has no desire to bother the Lady Hokage.

“You,” the blond woman nods at him, “I trust.”

She narrows her eyes. There is clearly something bothering the man, but it cannot be as critical as this debrief. The elders will have her hat and her citizenship if she does not deal with the traitors – Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Sasuke and their vagabond tribe. (Under no circumstances is she letting that sly bastard Danzo get to it, not with the way he is serving the village.)

She turns to his brother. “Him, not so much.”

“And me?” Obito blinks.

He aims at an innocent expression, but it comes out mirroring his slightly mangled psyche. It looks slightly like one of those flea bitten stray (puppy) dogs’ faces.

Tsunade stares straight into his eye. “Even less Uchiha Obito, the Madara imposter.”

As much as she tries to distance herself from her hatred of Madara and thereby not tainting her view of Obito, she cannot. She hates him with a seething rage that has nothing to do with the bare facts, only his association with – and his masquerade – the man who destroyed her family and her clan.

It is not as if she can pity him very much either. This man, manipulated his murderous ancestor or not, has acted of his own free will, while committing treason toward Konoha.

(Kakashi’s sentiment and Itachi’s kindness are the only thing that is keeping her from smashing him to a pulp.)

An understanding passes between them.

“I’m sorry.” Obito shrinks into himself. “I may have known what I was doing, but I wasn’t in full knowledge of Madara’s plans.”

“A shinobi should always look underneath the underneath.” Tsunade leans forward so that she’s nearly eyes to eye with Obito.

She glares.

Then her lips quirk into a hybrid between irony and bitterness. “And if I were inclined to believe you, then I’d have to admit Konoha shinobi are partly comprised of idiots.”

“Lady Hokage.” Itachi steps forward.

Tsunade raises a hand. “Hold that thought Uchiha.”

She’s already pulling out a bottle of sake from under her desk. “I need a drink.”

“It’s true. I was an idiot.” Obito bows his head. “It seems I am also one for returning.

There’s a gust of wind and a thump on the ground before the window. “But he was a lovable idiot.”

The silver haired man’s heart is cut to shreds by his beloved’s regret for coming home – how can he not think of Konoha as home anymore? But he came back, at least. Is that not all that matters?

“Kakashi!” Obito whirls around.

Their single eyes connect. Something like the chidori or a flame lances between their gazes.

He stumbles back. What was that? It is strangely familiar, but...And Kakashi’s breath catches. His heart skips a beat. It has been too long. Even now, he is not sure if this is yet another dream.

“Get out of my office and let me drink in peace!” Tsunade thumps down her sake bottle hard enough for some drops to pop the top, but not enough for the ceramic to crack. “I’ll deal with you brats later.”

Obito blinks. He is strangely glad that the Lady Hokage spoke then.

“Thank you, Lady Tsunade.” the silver haired man tips his head and shoves the Uchiha and their merry band of children out the door.

Once they are out of hearing range, Kakashi laughs quietly under his mask.

Though they have a reprieve for now, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ANBU watching. Karin can sense them all around them. And if Sasuke, Itachi and Obito use their Sharingan, they will see them hovering in their periphery.

Sai and Sakura are waiting for them at the base of the tower. He is smiling placidly and she has her face lowered into her hand.

The painter is the first to react. “You will be staying with a member of the _current_ Team 7 until further notice.”

He aims dead eyed stare at the youngest Uchiha who seems so intent on creeping away towards the area of his old apartment. “Yes that means you too Sasuke- _kun_.”

The youngest Uchiha grunts in acknowledgement.

Sakura blinks . It is strange that her former teammate has yet to put up a fuss about something like that. She frowns. Well then. She’ll think about it later. Back to business.

She nods. “All of you will be required to have your physicals as part of the vetting process. We need to know if you’re carrying any biological weapons.”

Sai nods. “I can make sure they know to remember.”

His blank eyed stare creeps at them and holds each of their gazes for more than long enough to paralyze Sasuke’s team. Even with the horrors of Orochimaru’s labs, and the death they’ve wrought by their own hands, the painter’s eyes have an almost soulless almost sucking quality that’s terrifying. It’s not much of a surprise that Itachi and Obito shrug that off. They do, however, nod in acknowledgement.

“Sai that’s enough,” Itachi steps between him and Sasuke’s team, “you’re scaring the children.”

(And scaring the children is bad, especially Juugo.)

The former ANBU ROOT member tips his head at the other former ANBU shinobi. “Uchiha Itachi.”

They have both divested themselves of their ANBU ranks, but for different reasons. Sai has found a family outside ROOT; Itachi has his duty to Konoha and to his fallen clan, and his precious little brother. They, however, have a respect for each other that will not cross over to other shinobi, unless perhaps it is Hatake Kakashi, another former ANBU member.

The silver haired jounin steps up to the two of them. “I believe it’s time to discuss your living arrangements.”

“Kakashi-sensei!”

The mask covered man twitches and turns to see a blond blur hurtling towards him. His eyes widen and he’s knocked straight past his conversation partners. He manages to stop short of crashing into a wall. He raps the blond boy on top of his head.

“Ow!” Naruto clutches at his newest bump. “You and Sakura-chan are so mean! She threw me out the window, you know?”

“Naruto.” Kakashi rolls his eyes.

He turns back to their _guests_. “First in order, our specialists will seal off your chakra. Then we’ll talk about the details of your your living arrangements.”

Sasuke’s lips turn down. Obito and Itachi, on the other hand, remain unruffled: the former shrugs and the latter’s lips turn up a bit.

The blonde grins at the three Uchiha.

The middle – by age – Uchiha nods at Kakashi. “I wondered when you’d suggest this.”

“Maa.” The silver haired man scratches the back of his head; his eyes curve with amusement. “I guess I forgot, Itachi-kun.”

“Kakashi!” Sakura’s green eyes flare with that terrifying fire that marks her as Tsunade’s student – not that she didn’t have enough of it in her own right. It’s just much more terrifying now.

The man gulps. He backs away from her infinitesimally, hoping she won’t notice. She looms closer and closer…

“Seriously,” Suigetsu brings both his arms up behind his head from the front – slowly, so as not to seem like a threat to the two guards from earlier, “what’s with these jokers?”

Sasuke skids to a stop.

He turns and glares at the white haired boy. “In case you forgot, I _was_ one of these jokers.”

Naruto takes his dark haired boy’s distraction to his advantage and jumps in front of him. “Who says you’re not anymore?” the blonde grins down at his former teammate from his perch. “You came home!”

The dark haired self-named former Konoha-nin has to duck and weave to avoid the blonde’s hug. But then finds himself between his brother and the blonde menace.

The older Uchiha raises an eyebrow and shoves him right into the Naruto’s awaiting arms. His lips curve upward the entire while.

“I missed you.” The blond is quiet.

His eyes shine with some emotion that the youngest Uchiha cannot guess.

Sasuke narrows his eyes as he examines his former teammate’s features for clues.

A red blur slams into the blonde throwing them off to the side and nearly wrenching off Sasuke’s arms.

The dark haired boy grabs her by the collar of her dress up to his face. “Karin you bitch!”

Everyone turns to stare at Sasuke. He’s not usually prone to shouting at the top of his lungs. He glares at them as he massages his shoulders.

“What?” He glares at them all and huffs.

They let their eyes slide away from him. So long as they don’t piss him off there will be no property damage. Their status in the village is already precarious enough.

Sakura coughs.

All eyes turn to her.

She meets their gazes head on. She no longer hides behid her bangs, away from scrutiny as she has done before.

“First thing tomorrow, I’ll oversee your physicals.” Her green eyes narrow. “There will be no getting out of this. Do you understand?”

A flare of chakra is enough to have them all listening, even though there are few groans – Karin and Suigetsu – and a whimper – Juugo. Cowards. Sasuke rolls his eyes. (However he may just be biased, since he grew up with her as his teammate. But then he has yet to see her in action since leaving Konoha.) Obito and Itachi both nod.

“Good. Now Sai,” the pink haired girl turns to her dark haired teammate, “will continue to brief you.”

The painter pulls out a scroll from his pocket and reads. “Your living arrangements will be as such. Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Itachi, you will be staying with Kakashi for observation.”

Sai turns to the rest. “Sasuke and your…friends, Naruto has decided to let you stay at his apartment, despite my reservations.”

“Lady Tsunade has agreed to this and if there is one step out of line…” He smiles, eyes just as blank and soul sucking as usual.

Suigetsu clings to Karin, when those blank dark eyes bore into his. Karin just huffs. The painter’s eyes have lost their effect on her. Juugo nods serenely. Sasuke glares at his replacement then at his former blonde team mate.

“C’mon,” Naruto jumps into action, “let’s go!”

Sasuke follows Naruto with his team trailing behind him.

The idiot’s apartment is located in the same place it has always been. Huh. Something is different. He raises an eyebrow. It’s larger than it used to be. But it’s still small.

Naruto turns his key in the lock and opens the door. He stumbles when the redheaded girl shoves him aside. He groans, clutching at his side – rude much – and gapes as she storms into the house. She slams the door behind her in the unoccupied bedroom.

But never let it be said that he does not recover quickly. Especially after a life time of abuse at the hands of the villagers, the young blonde jinchuuriki has learned to roll with the punches so speak. He’s not some weak brat who’ll cry at the slightest ill will anymore. (It’s also why he has such thick skin when it comes to Sasuke and his betrayal.

“Uh…welcome to my place…” the blonde scratches the side of his head. “Sakura and Kakashi-sensei are going to bring some extra futons.”

“Since my room is the biggest,” the blonde opens the door to his bedroom, “I guess we can all stay there…”

Sasuke doesn’t bother to look into the room. It’s bound to be a pigsty. He sniffs and walks into the living room slash kitchenette.

He drops on the couch by a bookshelf crammed with scrolls. “No.”

The apartment is rather clean. The only reason why the scrolls are crammed to the point of some nearly falling off the bookshelf is because it is too small for the amount of fabric and paper stuffed there.

Though tidy, the place probably violates some or several health codes even with what Sasuke assumes to be an expansion during the reconstruction. He narrows his eyes at the labels on the scrolls. It’s all Fūinjutsu*.

What the fuck? How does the usuratonkachi have such advanced writings? Does he even understand…

Then he notices the slightly frayed quality of the threads. They are obviously well loved. Huh. So he is wrong. That’s vastly different from what he remembers of the dobe. Naruto may just very well have become a worthy opponent (not that he wasn’t before…).

“What did you say, Teme!” The blonde lunges at his dark haired former teammate, now guest.

“I will not sleep in the same room as you,” Sasuke levels a superior glare at the blonde, “especially not when we’re going to be crammed like sardines. You kick in your sleep.”

He is not about to admit he is wrong. The dark haired Uchiha does still have his pride.

“Yeah?” Naruto curls his fingers into fists. Kurama stretches against the bars. But he is no longer such a child as to punch Sasuke in the face for what he just said.

He marches straight up into the dark haired boy’s face. “Well you snore! And here I was willing to put up with it too!”

“Can we please not argue?” Juugo bites his lip, hands twisting in his tunic. “I don’t think I can handle it if…you keep going.”

Their blonde host backs away from the Uchiha and takes a deep breath. “I’m sleeping out here then.”

He turns to Juugo and smiles, “if you want you can take my bed.”

He turns back to Sasuke and the white haired guy. “You’ll have to sleep on futons.”

“Why are you so nice to Juugo?” The white haired guy pokes the blonde in the chest.

“Just because…” Naruto turns back to the strawberry blonde boy and winks.

A thought passes between them and Juugo’s eyes widen. You’re not a monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Fūinjutsu the ninja art of seal making


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm sorry it took so long, but I wasn't very happy with the format I had for the action and sequence in this chapter.
> 
> I postponed the work I had originally done for this chapter and wrote a whole new one to fill the void. It think it works better than what I originally had in mind.
> 
> August 25/26, 2015: I have just edited the second chapter.
> 
> ~doomedpassion
> 
> PS I would really like you guys who left "kudos" to comment. "kudos" are nice and all, but I really want to have feedback.

Watching his cousin and the other children leave, Obito is struck by a sudden wash of guilt. These children have gone a long time without homes and family because of him, his cousin and Naruto especially. The others…Suigetsu more than likely as well. The girl and other blonde boy he is not so sure about.

He clenches his fists.

He has no right to be here. He is about to walk towards T&I when a hand claps onto his shoulder. He looks down to see his cousin’s black painted nails. The lacquer is chipping and the nail revealed yellowing.

It’s almost the colour of diluted phlegm.

“Obito.” Itachi has to tilt his head up to meet his cousin’s single eye. “We need you here.”

The older man turns his head away. “So I can tell you and the Hokage all of Madara’s plans.”

He has never been gladder that his bangs are long enough to cover his eye. He chuckles. And it grates even to his own ears.

“You are a valuable member of Konoha’s society.” The younger Uchiha turns and holds the elder’s gaze.

“Like hell I am.” The taller man snorts. “Who believes that?”

“I do.” The words are quiet and so full of conviction.

Obito freezes. Something that feels warm pumps to the tempo of his heartbeat. (He wants more than anything to never let Kakashi down again.) His body trembles from head to toe. He doesn’t deserve this.

His head whips back so fast it’s a miracle he hasn’t pulled something. “What?”

Kakashi turns to face his former teammate – and his not-so-secret love (Obito is oblivious, but everyone else – Itachi and Sasuke when he’s around – isn’t). “I said I do.”

The dark haired man laughs. And laughs. And laughs. “You have to be kidding me. I doomed Rin to die and I doomed you to kill her. I killed Minato-sensei and I killed Kushina-nee. I doomed Naruto to a life without parents. I doomed my whole clan to die. I doomed Sasuke to watch his family die by his brother – my cousin – ‘s hand, by my hand.”

He scrubs a hand down his face. “It’s all on me.”

The silver haired man wants to pull his unrequited love into his arms. But such an act has too much weight in the face of all that has happened. He is also not the one from whom Obito needs validation and forgiveness the most.

Kakashi angles his body away from the Uchiha cousins.

“No.” Itachi wraps his arms around his cousin. “It’s not your fault. Madara needed a pawn, a scapegoat to make his resurrection work.”

He squeezes tight, as if the older man will disappear if he doesn’t. “It could have been anyone of us…”

“It had to be me.” Obito scrubs at his eye, the only one able to shed tears. “It was because I was _passionate_. If I loved, I loved with all my heart. So if I were to hate…”

“Sorry to interrupt your heart to heart but we should get going,” Kakashi grabs them both by the shoulder, “if you want to get to bed before dawn, that is.”

They walk in silence.

It is awkward. Obito’s self-loathing is a miasma. Kakashi’s hope is struggling not to choke on it.

Itachi keeps himself between them, attempting to shield them both from destroying each other and themselves. He finds himself dragging his feet. His cousin and one time colleague have already passed him by. He has to jog to catch up. He overestimates his ability to do so. His lungs burn and finds himself clutching at his chest. He bites his lip to keep from crying out and cannot stop a whimper from escaping.

The elder Uchiha stops. “Itachi needs a doctor.”

The younger Uchiha shakes his head, “I would like to go to bed.”

He, however, cannot hide the tremble in his shoulders as he attempts to suppress a cough. He only succeeds in wheezing.

Obito pulls off his cloak and wraps it around his cousin’s shoulders. He leans crouches down in front of the younger man and lifts him astride his back.

He sighs. “Let’s go.”

“This is it.”

The façade is unremarkable. It is built of a soothing pinkish brown and has six units. It is nestled between other apartments of the same quality. Kakashi’s unit is on the second floor. It is not much of a surprise that he would choose to live in such an apartment, at least not to Itachi.

Obito frowns. He expects the man to have changed, but not this much. The Hatake Kakashi he knew would never have chosen to live so close to others.

Kakashi leads them up the stairs to his door. He opens it without flourish. ”Home sweet home.”

It’s larger inside than it seems. But then his apartment is rather bare. But there is enough to signify a single person living there.

The walls are a sandy in colour and there are a couple pictures, most likely not chosen by the owner. There is a plant at the window.

“The couch is pullout.” The silver haired man gestures toward the chaise-longue and loveseat combination with grey upholstery.

It is nestled in the corner of the room maximizing the small space of the living room. In it’s embrace is a low table. This Kakashi drags to the side.

He unfolds the loveseat’s frame. “The mattress is rather uncomfortable. So I bought an extra futon.”

“I see.” Obito nods. “You are expecting Itachi and I to share.”

He frowns. “How big is this futon?”

“Big enough to cover a double bed sized pullout couch.” Kakashi sighs.

The surface is a bit dusty. He takes out a feather duster from the wooden shelf under the end-table – a matching grey – and wipes it down. He sighs when his former teammate pays him no attention.

Instead, he helps Itachi onto the chaise-longue.

“Sure.” The eldest Uchiha walks off to see the rest of the house. “I suspect your room is off limits.”

Kakashi tips his head sharply.

“Good.” Obito glares. “I’m not interested in your secrets.”

He is unaware of his former teammate’s hurt expression as he heads into the kitchen. Though there is no indication that he will care.

Itachi’s lips curve up a tiny bit. Kakashi-senpai.

The kitchen is every inch as bare and functional as the rest of the apartment. He opens the cupboards. Apparently, it is just as bare beneath its façade.

“Why?” He grabs Kakashi by the collar of his green vest. “Is. There. No. Food?”

“Maa. With a reaction like that,” the silver haired man wraps a hand around his former teammate’s wrists “I’d say you do care.”

The dark haired man grunts and shoves an elbow into his assailant’s ribs. “Don’t touch me.”

“Sage!” the older man holds his hands up in surrender. “I was just trying to facilitate some bonding. We haven’t done anything fun together in a long time.”

“That,” The dark haired man glares, “would not be something I’d call fun.”

Kakashi walks toward the front door. “We should spar.”

Obito raises a brow. “You think that is wise during my current state of being?”

“Nope.” The silver haired man smiles beneath his mask. “It’ll be fun.”

“Breaking the law is fun?” The younger man stares, his pupil dilates.

The man before him is no longer the Hatake Kakashi he had come to care for before…before the end, before…before he had killed himself, the person he used to be. His fingers twitch. He wants to shake this man and make him see sense.

He is too much…almost an extreme caricature of Uchiha Obito before he was crushed by the mountain and lost half his body.

Something like an anvil hammers into his chest. He presses a hand over his lungs and pants for breath. The pressure in his chest tightens. His vision blurs and his ears begin to ring.

“…okay?”

He takes stock of his position. He is lying on soft sheets and covered in a warm blanket. He opens his eye. He blinks when the light creates a stabbing sensation. He notices a dark shape hovering over him. It is Itachi, frowning down at him.

“I thought it would be best if Kakashi-senpai took a walk.”

“It’s fine.” Obito turns his head to the side away from his cousin’s inquisitive gaze. “You didn’t need to interfere.”

Itachi grabs his cousin’s shoulder. “I just wanted you to feel better.”

“You’ve always been too kind for you own good.” The elder Uchiha glares. “You and Shisui.”

The younger Uchiha grabs the older man by the front of his cloak. “You watched us!”

“How else would we keep our plan in motion?” The elder Uchiha sounds more like the ancestor he was tasked to impersonate than the young broken man he is.

Itachi closes his eyes and breathes. A second later he coughs and catches it in the sleeve of his cloak. When he pulls his arm away, there is a wet patch.

Obito grabs his cousin’s wrist and presses his fingers straight into the patch. When he pulls away, his fingers are covered in blood.

He sighs. “I should have taken you to the hospital.”

He climbs out of bed. “Come on then.”

The younger man attempts to push his cousin back into bed. “You should rest.”

“Take your own advice.” The older man’s lips twitch up a bit.

He crouches and carries his cousin on his back out of the house. His former teammate is standing with his back to them at the door.

“Going out already?”

Obito’s lips twist. “Itachi needs the hospital more than I need to rest.”

“At least,” Kakashi swallows, “let me take him.”

The elder Uchiha glares. “I have a responsibility to this boy.”

“I have responsibility too.” The silver haired man walks right into his former teammate’s face. “I am your goddamn host.”

“Quoting Sasuke, I am not a child.” Itachi’s tone is as bland as his expression.

He hops off his cousin’s back with a forced sort of ease. “I am perfectly capable of walking, thank you!”

His voice almost distracts their host from hearing Obito’s harsh whisper.

“More like gaoler.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kakashi by his occupation is obligated to guard them on their way to the hospital. It is more for their sake than for the sake of the villagers. Itachi is no condition to attack others; and Obito is a bit too busy attempting to make up for his betrayal – hopes to be rather. He cannot with his criminal status be any help officially –of his friends and clan (and village – but that’s an afterthought; Obito is of a feather where only his precious people matter). Besides, he’s always been a pushover.

The silver haired man keeps as close to his charges as much as possible, and if he spends more time watching over his former teammate, there is no one who can tell. He is grateful nonetheless to have this, even if he cannot be close to the brunet. But even then they were never close. Or he attempted in his mean childish way to befriend the older boy. He has only managed to irritate Obito. Though it felt good to have his attention at the time, he was too late to realize his feelings.

His heartbeats stutter to a halt. Gaoler, his beloved thinks of him. He clenches his fists and takes a deep breath. He still thanks his kohai* for trying at least to distract him.

He regrets the series of almost-s, the could-have-been-s.

All he can do now is watch and wait. He wants to be more than his former teammate’s gaoler. He wants to be someone the older man can trust. He wants the brunet to rely on him. But it will be difficult. The Uchiha is cold, so much more closed off than he was. It has only been just a few years more than a decade, but he’s already so emotionless.

No. He has emotions. Kakashi has seen for himself. It is just they no longer show as easily. He mourns the loss of Obito’s carefree attitude. That does not mean he loves him any less. It just spurs him on to desire the older man smile for him, at him. He will one day. He is sure.

But for now, the trio enter the emergency room. There is a line and the chairs are mostly filled with sick civilians. It is that change in the weather. There is a lack of shinobi. Those who come in are usually on stretchers. Most shinobi have a marked distrust of hospitals. They prefer to lick their wounds alone (or with a teammate who is a medic if they trust them) in a safe place, namely their home or a safe house/bolt hole.

They walk towards the triage. The blonde receptionist at the counter’s eyes widen.

“Please leave.”

Kakashi steps forward. He blocks Obito’s presence with his body and allows Itachi to be seen by the girl. He ushers the younger Uchiha into the seat before the counter. He places a hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

He leans forward. “My friend is seriously ill. He needs medical attention.”

“Sir I can’t do that.” The blonde receptionist.

“This man needs medical attention. You may not be a shinobi medic, nor a medical doctor,” Kakashi grinds his teeth, “but even you must have taken an oath to preserve life.”

The girl flinches but she dips her head and continues: “Hatake-sama I cannot allow that man to pass into our wards.”

“Do you know who I am?” roars Kakashi.

He cannot allow his kohai, who is also his beloved’s cousin, be treated this way by this crude sow of a woman. He slaps a hand on the counter.

“What’s going on?!”

Kakashi whips around. He almost misses Sakura’s chakra signature. He narrows his eyes. Her lips are pinched and her eyes squinting. She swipes the back of her hand over her forehead.

“Sakura-chan,” The silver haired man leans over and checks the nurse-receptionist’s name tag, “Miyako-san refuses to admit Uchiha Itachi into your care.”

Sakura turns to the blonde girl at the desk. Her brows crease and the pinch in her lips tightens.

“Miyako-san please complete the paper work for Uchiha Itachi-san.”

“But Haruno-sensei!”

“Come with me Hino Miyako.” She turns around the counter.

The unfortunate receptionist trembles as she edges up from her seat. She swallows, wringing her hands. She follows the pink haired medic into the back room.

“What you hear does not leave this room.” Sakura narrows her eyes.

The blonde girl – she is a couple years older than the pink haired medic, but she never graduated past Genin and opted for a civilian high school and university education – nods.

“Yes.” The pink haired medic proceeds to explain the situation to civilian receptionist. “This is classified information. I expect you to keep your word. Do you understand?”

Hino Miyako’s eyes are wide and her lips parted in shock. She dips her head stiffly and walks stiltedly out the door.

Sakura sags into a chair. Hino Miyako is a known gossip within the emergency room. Sage help her. But she can see from Itachi’s condition that he needs treatment lest his condition worsens to critical.

From the little she knows of the man she likes him. Besides she has her vows to preserve life. She rubs at her temples. She must contact Tsunade-sama about her improper disclosure of classified information. She hopes her master has the same mind as her. Who is she kidding? Of course Tsunade-sama thinks the same way. It is the Elders she has to worry about, especially Danzou. She groans. What if this causes a fiasco that allows him to gain more of a foothold among the Elders? She grits her teeth. She has done the best possible in her position and now she has to fulfill her post.

She steps out of the office, her lips set into a grim line. She goes directly to the blonde receptionist’s desk and requests Itachi’s records.


End file.
